Direction indicator



Markka 9 5 92@ 1,576,058

yL M. MELLls ET AL DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed Nov. 4, 1924 pag.1.

Patented Mar. 9, y 1926.

l*UNITED sIATss .par

err em-QE WILLIAM II. I.; MELL'IS, oE

DIRECTION INDICATOR.'

Application filed November 4, 1924. Serial No. 747,831.V

To all `whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES M. MELLIs and WILLIAM H. L. MELLIs, citizens ofthe Dominion of Canada, residing, respectively, at Victoria, kin theProvince of British Columbia, and at Peterboro, in the Province of Ontario, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction In dicators, of which the following is a specication.`

This invention relates to a direction indicator for self-propelled vehicles `and is particularly designed to correspond with the hand signals as required by traflc ordinances in a positive, simple and direct manner:

It is an improvement Aon the device set forth by applicant in Patent N o. 1,445,530 grantedon thei13th February 1923.

The invention is fully set forth` in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by `which it is accompani'ed, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation from the back of the signal Vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a plan'of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in section of the mechanism by which vthe hand semaphore is connected to the operating mechalnism and the electric lighting Contact of the same.

Fig. 4 is an elevation from the position of the driver of the operative mechanism of the signal, the cover plate-being removed. (This and the two following figures are to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2).

Fig. 5 is a vertical el-evation and part section of the same, and

Fig. 6 is a plan of the clamp shown in Fig. 5 by which the operative mechanism is proper and its mounting on the secured to the steering post or other position i convenient for the driver.

In these drawings 2 represents the sema phore which, as in the patent previously referred to, is made in the shape of a hand and is hollow and divided into two parts in the plane of the hand to provide accommodation wit-hin for an incandescent lamp.

Spaces 3 are left in the joint of the two halves and in the separation of the fingers through which spaces the light may pass to more effectively display the conforma-k tion.

The front and back of the hand have each a glazed aperture 4 through which the light kis also displayed, that in the front being white or clear frosted glass to avoid glare, and in the baclris coloured red to indicate to a following vehicle the drivors intent to turn or to sto One half of t-he hand is fixed to the hub v is removably secured 5 and the 'other' half by a dowel pin in the hub the outer yend of the hand. The hub 5 is secured by a set' screw or other suitable means on a pivot 7 which is mounted to be turnable in the outer end of a bifurcated supporting arm 8, 9 having at the other end a clamp 10 by which it may be and a screw 6' in secured to thel frame of the windshield or.

other convenient part to projectoutward from the side of the vehicle and to carry the semaphore 2 that tical plane. y

On the end of this pivot "shaft 7 within a casing l1 forming a part of the support 9 and closable with la 'cover 12, is secured a sheave 13 around which Va flexible wire cabley 14 is passed and secured at 15 to the s'heave in any approved manner.

After passing once around the sheave 13 the ends of the flexible line 14 are passed through a flexiblemetallictube 16 by which they are conductedto:A a reel 17 mounted `to turn on a stud 18 in a casing 19-secured by a clamp'20 to the hicle or other driver.' l

'After being passed around thisreel 17 each end of the cable is made fast to a pin 21 on which the cable may be wound after being passed through a hole in the rim of the reel, see Fig. 4. By this means the cable may be tightened and adjusted to move the semaphore to the desired position in relation to the movement of a handle 22 secured to the rim of the reel 17 to project radially from it through the casing 19.

The hand 2 may be thus, by movement of the handle 22, kbe moved from its normal position between the supports 8 and 9 to the position indicated by the dot and 4dash line 23 in Fig. 1, to indicate an intent to turn to the right or to the position in which it is drawn in Figs. 1 and 2, indicating an intention to turn to the left, or it may be turned angularly downward to the position of the line 24 indicating an intent to stop. The handle 22 may be provided with a spring detent which at. the desired intersteering' post of' the veit may kmove in a' verposition convenient for the conducted through it to the casing 19 of the mediate positions will spring into, one of the grooves in the arc of the casing 19, s0 that the semaphore Will be checked at the correct position. Y i

To audibly intimate a drivers intention to turn or stop, horn of the vehicle is introduced int-o the flexible tube 16 intermediate its ends and is thereby closing the circuit in which is the `Contact 32 which projects mechanism of the horn, so that anymovement to give any signal is preceded with the sounding of the horn. l y

\ l Similarly, the lighting system ot' the car is connected through the flexible tube 16 to the casing 11 ot the semaphore support and is there connected on suitable insulationto a resilient over the 4aceO the sheave 13 and into contact vvith a metal disc 33 secured on suitable insulation to the tace of the sheave 13 and `connected in `any suitable manner to the socket for the ,lamp in the hub 5 of the hand, see Fig. 3.

F rom this disc 33 an arcuate segment 34 is removed from that side of it which toward thehand, so that when the hand is in itsnormal position, the 'resilient contact 32 will rest on thenSulatiOn and the circuit is open, but when the semaphore moves Jromrthe normal `position Ato indicateany .desired turn or stop, the light circuit ViS closed by the contact 32 on the disc ,3S/and y the hand is illuminated.

Both Wires 16 and SOare insulated and enclosed `in a metallic sheathing so as to the electric circuit 26 ofthe to a Wire 30 which passes prevent the insulation being in'ured by the j'iiction ofV the cables 14 in the dexible tubes The signal is positively operated b direct manual effort and is a mechanical substitute for the hand of the driver for Which the traiic rules `have been devised, and which this mechanical means is designed to substitute. y

The device can be readily applied to any existing car without removal or alteration o1 any existing parts and Without skilled assistance. l y

Attentionis drawn to the facilit `afforded oraccess to any of the parts: l o the iricandesccnt lamp inthe hand 2, or within the casing 11 or 19,or` attention to the tightening or adjustment of the cables 14, or the contact terminals of Ithe horn sounding oiflighting circuits, access to which .can be attained by the removal et only :one screw foreach. l y Having now particularly described `nur invention, We hereby 'declare that what We ein claim as `new `and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, .isz y l A 4direction indicator of the class described, comprising a `'bracket havingparallel arms with horizontal bearing` apertures at one end, and a clamping device at the otherend for securingthe bracket to a Windshield, a vsemaphore ,carrying Yshatjournalled in said apertures: vvith the semaphore located between the arms,v` one of said arms having a chamber With a cap plate, a sheave in said chamber on said shaft, `and means passing through said chamberrand associated With said sheave `and `to operate with said semaphore. y l j In testimony whereof; We aix` oursignatures. i y

" JAMES M. MELLIs WILLIAM H. 1L. Mantis. 

